Sarah Paulson Returning for ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’

Sarah Paulson is going to be all over FX next year.

The actress has booked her return to anthology American Horror Story, showrunner Ryan Murphy announced Monday.

“Sarah Paulson is checking into “Hotel.” And this season, she’s the baddest bad girl of them all. #AHSSeason5,” Murphy tweeted.

Paulson has been a mainstay on American Horror Story since she had a bit role in season one. She has starred in three of its first four seasons and earned an Emmy nom for her lead role in Coven.

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The news of her return to Hotel comes as a bit of a surprise given that she’s also attached to star as prosecutor Marcia Clarkin Murphy and Brad Falchuk‘s other FX anthology American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.

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“My focus will always be on American Horror Story for as long as he’ll have me,” Paulson told The Hollywood Reporter in December, ahead of her American Crime Story casting. “I have never felt so completely seen by another director or producer or person before in terms of his willingness time and time again to give me something to do that I didn’t even think I was capable of doing. I don’t know why in the world I’d want to go elsewhere when I’m getting the best deal in town. I absolutely want to do season five.”

Starring Lady Gaga, Kathy Bates, Matt Bomer, Chloë Sevigny, Wes Bentley and Cheyenne Jackson, American Horror Story: Hotel will be the first season of the series from Murphy and Falchuk without leading lady Jessica Lange.

AHS mainstay Evan Peters, meanwhile, noted at PaleyFest that he wasn’t sure if he’d be back forHotel but seemed open to returning for another run.
Paulson is repped by UTA. AHS: Hotel will debut in October.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit